---
title: "South African leader wants to do a deal with Trump to resolve dispute"
description: "JOHANNESBURG, Feb 27 (Reuters) - South African President Cyril Ramaphosa said on Thursday that he wanted to \"do a deal\" with US President Donald Trump to resolve a dispute over his country's land policy and genocide case against Israel at the World Court."
type: "NewsArticle"
publisher: "Daily Maverick"
site: "https://www.dailymaverick.co.za"
section: "Diplomacy"
author: "Reuters"
author_url: "https://www.dailymaverick.co.za/author/reuters/"
canonical_url: "https://www.dailymaverick.co.za/article/2025-02-27-south-african-leader-wants-to-do-a-deal-with-trump-to-resolve-dispute/"
published: "2025-02-27T12:38:13"
updated: "2025-02-27T12:38:14"
lang: "en-ZA"
word_count: 229
---

# South African leader wants to do a deal with Trump to resolve dispute

> JOHANNESBURG, Feb 27 (Reuters) - South African President Cyril Ramaphosa said on Thursday that he wanted to "do a deal" with US President Donald Trump to resolve a dispute over his country's land policy and genocide case against Israel at the World Court.

By Reuters · Published 27 February 2025, 14:38 SAST · Updated 27 February 2025, 14:38 SAST

## Key points
- In a diplomatic tango that could rival a soap opera, Ramaphosa aims to soothe Trump’s ruffled feathers over land reform and legal spats, hoping to turn a chilly executive order into a warm embrace—with trade deals on the dance floor.
- Trump cuts US financial assistance to South Africa, citing concerns over land reform and an ICJ case against an ally.
- Ramaphosa aims to mend relations with the US, expressing a desire for a meaningful deal on various issues.
- South Africa's preferential trade status under AGOA could be at risk amid geopolitical tensions.
- The country seeks a non-aligned stance, balancing interests between the US, China, and Russia.

## Content

Trump cut [US financial assistance](https://www.reutersconnect.com/all?search=all%3AS8N3ME0BO&linkedFromStory=true) to South Africa in an executive order this month, citing disapproval of its approach to land reform and the International Court of Justice (ICJ) case against Washington's close ally.

Ramaphosa told a conference organised by US bank Goldman Sachs in Johannesburg that he wanted the "dust to settle" after the executive order but that the longer-term goal was to go to Washington to mend relations.

"We don't want to go and explain ourselves. We want to go and do a meaningful deal with the United States on a whole range of issues," Ramaphosa said. "I'm very positively inclined to promoting a good relationship with President Trump."

Ramaphosa did not say what the deal could involve, only that it could touch on trade, diplomatic and political matters.

South Africa is not hugely dependent on US aid, but some fear its preferential trade status under [the US African Growth and Opportunity Act](https://www.reutersconnect.com/all?search=all%3AL8N3BX5TO&linkedFromStory=true) (AGOA) could be under threat with Trump in the White House.

The country tries to project itself as non-aligned in geopolitical conflicts, not tying its interests too closely to those of rival powers the United States, China and Russia.

But Trump has cited the ICJ case as an example of South Africa taking positions against Washington and its allies.

(Additional reporting by Sfundo Parakozov and Bhargav Acharya;Writing by Alexander Winning; Editing by Sharon Singleton)